Trident maple tree named `Abtir`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of trident maple (Acer buergeranum) named `Abtir` characterized by (1) rapid growth; (2) early exfoliating bark; (3) lustrous dark green summer foliage; (4) and superb grayed-purple fall foliage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of tridentmaple (Acer buergeranum), referred to by the varietal name `Abtir`.

The parent tree of the new variety was discovered in a nursery inAthens, Ga., among a group of random open-pollinated trident mapleseedlings growing from seed collected in Decatur, Ga. This group ofseedlings was grown as liners then transplanted to field spacing.

Trident maple seedling trees are extremely variable in growth habit,leaf, and bark characteristics. Seedling-grown material is often openand unkempt, characteristics that typically limit the attractiveness ofthe plants in landscaping applications.

The parent tree was observed to have superb grayed-purple colored fallfoliage and exhibited multi-colored grayed-orange exfoliating bark. Thetrunk developed an attractive irregular fluted shape. The parent treegrew at a rapid rate, yet maintained a dense framework of branches andleaves, resulting from the more closely spaced nodes and greatermultiple breaks from the new shoot growth of the season.

This invention has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. However, the following combination of traits have beenrepeatedly observed in asexually propagated progeny and are determinedto be the basic characteristics of this invention, which in combinationdistinguish this variety of trident maple as a new and distinct variety:(1) rapid growth; (2) early exfoliating bark; (3) lustrous dark greensummer foliage; (4) and superb grayed-purple fall foliage. The newvariety is readily identified as trident maple by the uniformity ofthese characteristics. To the inventor's knowledge, this combination ofcharacteristics distinguish this new variety from all other varieties oftrident maple of which I am aware.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety has initially and subsequentlybeen accomplished at my direction in Oconee County, Ga. Firm-wood, fourto six inch long cuttings were treated with 10,000 ppm naphtheneaceticacid dissolved in 50% alcohol. The cuttings were placed in horticulturalgrade perlite in four inch deep flats on a greenhouse bench underintermittent mist. Rooting occurred in six to ten weeks at a 40% to 60%success rate. The above-mentioned unique features are stable andreproduce true to type in each successive propagation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the `Abtir` trident maple with summerfoliage.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing a branch of the new variety with summerfoliage and illustrating the internodal spacing and typical branchingcharacteristics of the variety.

FIG. 3 is a photograph showing a branch of the new variety with fallfoliage.

FIG. 4 is a close-up photograph showing in greater detail theexfoliating bark of the new variety.

These photographs were taken in April, 1993 (FIG. 1) in the field and inAugust, 1994 (FIGS. 2 and 4) and November, 1994 (FIG. 3) in a studio andillustrate typical characteristics of the new variety as noted, withcolor being as true as is reasonably possible to make the same in thistype of color photograph.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the invention based on plantsgrowing and observed in Bogart, Ga. Color references are made to theRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS), except where the contextindicates a term having its ordinary dictionary meaning. All tridentmaple trees of the new variety, insofar as I have been able to observethem, have been identical in all the characteristics described below.Other than as set forth below, as of this time I have not observed anyother characteristics which are different from seedling trident mapletrees.

Parentage: Seedling of unknown parentage.

Propagation: Holds to distinguishing characteristics through succeedingpropagation by rooted cuttings.

Locality where grown and observed: Bogart, Ga.

Tree: The parent plant reached 18 feet high after eight years. Theheight-to-width ratio of the parent tree and of asexually propagatedprogeny thereof is approximately 1.5. The branching habit and dendriticpattern is multiple-stemmed with three equal sized leaders. Thesecondary branches ascend at a 30-45 degree angle, producing anoval-rounded outline. Trunk diameter at six inches from the groundaverages 7.25 inches. Internode length ranges from 0.5 to 2 inches,which produces the dense foliage canopy. The trunk develops a flutedcharacter and the parent plant has an almost rectilinear outline incross-section, being 8.5 inches long on two axes and 6 inches wide onthe shorter axes.

Vigor: Vigorous, growing rapidly, particularly under nursery conditions.Although it grows on an average about 20 percent faster than othertrident maple seedlings under the same conditions, the new treemaintains a dense framework of branches and leaves due to the moreclosely spaced internodes (and thus leaves) and greater multiple breaksfrom the new shoot growth of the season.

Foliage:

Size.--Leaves average 1.5 to 3 inches wide and high, average for thespecies.

Shape.--The mature leaf is tri-lobed and rounded. The lobes aretriangular.

Apex.--Acute.

Base.--Broad cuneate form.

Margin.--Entire or slightly serrate.

Color.--The upper leaf surface is lustrous dark green (RHS 139A),slightly darker green than is typical for the species, and the lowersurface is green (RHS 137C). Fall coloration is one of the uniqueattributes of this variety, since most trident maples do not developreliable or spectacular autumnal coloration. In the location in whichthese observations were made, the coloration of fall foliage isgrayed-purple (RHS 185A) and lasts for about two weeks.

Petiole.--Approximately as long as the blade.

Flowers and fruits:

Size.--Flowers and fruits are typical for the species, as are stems andbuds.

Other characteristics of flowers and fruits.--Insofar as they have beenobserved, the flowers and fruits of the new variety are typical for thespecies.

Bark: Exfoliates at an early age (four years old), exposing agrayed-orange (RHS 173B to 177B) bark.

Ultimate tree size: Unknown at this time, although original tree reached18 feet high after eight years.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of trident maple substantially asherein shown and described.